The heads of Germany's 16 federal states unanimously agreed on Thursday to push ahead with a legal bid to ban the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD). The agreement follows a similar recommendation by regional interior ministers on Wednesday.

Opposition Social Democrat (SPD) Brandenburg state premier Matthias Platzeck said the decision sent a clear signal. "Our democracy is well-fortified and we will not just stand by and watch the activities of neo-Nazis," he said. (Reuters)